Ex-Creek Wood coach Tom Mullinicks sentence: 12 years in prison

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Ayrika Whitney/USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

A former Creek Wood High School girls basketball coach was sentenced to 12 years in prison Thursday for statutory rape by an authority figure after entering a guilty plea in November last year.

Tom Mullinicks, 48, of Dickson, was removed from the sidelines just before the tip off a game in March of 2016 when he was first accused of raping a teen.

In Dickson County Circuit Court on Thursday, with Judge Suzanne Lockert-Mash presiding, Mullinicks received four years on each count. However, the fourth count is concurrent to counts 1, 2, and 3 for a total of 12 years to serve in a state prison.

Mullinicks receives credit for time served in the Dickson County Jail.

Mullinicks is to have no contact with the victim. He will be on Sex Offender Registry for life, according to court documents.

State counsel in the sentencing hearing was Carey Thompson, assistant district attorney. Mullinick’s counsel was attorney Jennifer Thompson.

Among the exhibits presented in the hearing were text messages between Mullinicks and the victim, and two sets of letters.

In April of 2016, Mullinicks was arrested after the Dickson County Grand Jury indicted him on four counts of rape, four counts of rape by an authority figure, and one count of solicitation of a minor, according to the Dickson County Sheriff's Office.

Mullinicks was charged with four counts of allegedly raping a single victim, between the age of 13 and 18, on dates ranging from Oct. 1, 2015, and Feb. 26, 2016; and using his position of trust and power over the victim "to accomplish" the sexual activity.The indictment also charged Mullinicks with four counts of alleged rape of the same victim during the same time frame; and one count of allegedly soliciting the victim via "electronic communication" to "engage in sexual activity."

Mullinicks resigned at Creek Wood High School in April of 2016 and was released from jail the following month on $75,000 bond. He initially resigned his Creek Wood girls head basketball position during the week of March 6, but remained on administrative leave for his teaching position.

Mullinicks resigned from the job after being pulled from the sidelines by school administrators just before the start of the Lady Red Hawks region quarterfinal game.